How are you cultivating your life?
Proverbs 23:7 - as a man thinks in his heart so is he - Or simply put: as a man thinks in his conscious and sub conscious mind so is he...
Numbers 13: 33 - We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them, we felt like grasshoppers, and that is what they must have thought of us. (Your self-identity is critical to how you see yourself and lead your life)
Here are some questions to reflect on;
Are you settled where you are because that' the best place for you to be?
Are you settled because you are tired and do not have any more strength to carry on, or because you've somehow convinced yourself that you are not deserving of anything beyond that?
Are you settled because you do not have the resources, guidance, and means to pursue your dreams and to do the things you love?
Are you settled because you cannot figure out what you want to be be and do in life?
What causes you to settle for the things you do? And what are the undergirding influences, both negative and positive that direct and shape how you live?
Do you think there could be more beyond where you are right now? If so, what do you need to do to take the next step to move forward irrespective of how difficult it might be?
What is your roadmap and what steps can you take to move towards your true self?
Many of us are comfortable living under the shadows of others, even more so, under our own shadow. We often make decisions too hastily, forgetting that we have to deal with the consequences of every decision and choice we make. At times we give in to peer pressure result in us being used, taken advantage of and abused.
I do not have to go on and on. You know your life and the list of negative shadows you give yourself to either knowingly or unknowingly. The unfortunate thing is that these shadows end up shaping your life and how you live. They take away your freedom, control and constantly make you feel miserable and uncomfortable in your own skin.
I know deep down you desire to overcome these shadows. But the challenge is, whenever you look at them, they seem overwhelming, too strong, and this paralyses you at every turn and makes you weak to stand your ground. In the end, you give in and these shadows become strongholds in your life, causing to to accept the “I am not and I cannot identities.”
Today, I dare you to challenge your story. Choose to arise, take your stand and reclaim your life. You don't need to settle for anything less than what you can be. Know that you are unique, exceptional, and capable of doing great things if only you identify and release the potential already stored up in you. (Remember, you are Gods image-bearer created in his image and likeness). Bible.
Remember; How you subject yourself to the challenges of everyday life, your relationships and interactions set the stage for how you take or not take charge of your life. Do not be wasted trying to fit in just to be accepted and validated. Don't be wasted trying to please everyone else but yet loosing yourself. Please understand me; There is nothing wrong with pleasing others, but the question you should be asking is, at what cost? Why should you always try to find your worth and identity based on other peoples' opinions? In what ways does this give life, or position you to flourish? How can you be fulfilled when you constantly violate yourself? In what are your choices affecting your personal leadership development process?
In life, we often spent much of our time learning to understand everything else about life but never learning study ourselves. Yet, when we do not develop ourselves, we remain unstable, insecure and therefore unable to build the tenacity and resilience needed to push through tough times.
Remember, life is a mix of good and bad and so are we. We need to learn to face life for what it is because we cannot always run away from it or workaround its ups and downs. We need to face whatever life brings comes head-on. We also need to learn to accept that we cannot run from ourselves no matter how hard we try neither can we bring change to the things we do not like by avoidance, and this includes you.
Today, will you dare to challenge your story and choose to take Charge?
Extra food for thought:
· You cannot discover the path to happiness if you continue to do the things that give you pain or give yourself to things that pull you down
· If you are not satisfied with your life, change your story, re-write your script
· Life is a journey try to Cherish and enjoy the everyday good moments
· To be human is to be related, so you must try to make your relationships count
· Learn to bring balance to your work and play by incorporating healthy rhythms